Antidiabetic and Antioxidant Effects of the Polyherbal Drug Glucoblock and Glibenclamide in Type 2 Diabetic Rats

Abstract

The increased prevalence of diabetes, and the huge disease burden on patients has led to an increase in the use of complementary and alternative medicine in diabetes treatment and management.
 Aim: This study evaluates the antidiabetic and antioxidant effects of the polyherbal capsule glucoblock and glibenclamide in type 2 diabetic rats.
 Methodology: A total of 35 male Wistar albino rats weighing between 120-220 g were used for this study. The rats were placed on high fat diet, and diabetes induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of freshly prepared streptozotocin (STZ) (45 mg/kg body Wt). Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) was determined using the glucose oxidase method. Fasting plasma insulin (FPI), total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels were quantitatively determined by a rat-specific sandwich-enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Insulin resistance (IR) was determined using the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) method. Oxidative stress index (OSI) was determined by the ratio of TOS to TAS. Phytochemical analysis was also done on the herbal capsule.
 Results: Mean FPG levels were significantly lower (p˂0.05) in all groups, compared to the diabetic control. Mean FPG level was significantly higher (p˂0.05) in the combination group, but showed no significant difference (p>0.05) in the glibenclamide group, and glucoblock group, compared to the negative control. HOMA-IR was significantly higher (p<0.05) in the diabetic control compared to the negative control and treatment groups. The combination group had significantly higher (p˂0.05) HOMA-IR values, whereas the individual treatment groups showed no significant difference (p>0.05) when compared to the negative control. TOS was significantly higher (p<0.05) in the diabetic control compared to the negative control and treatment groups. The treatment groups showed no significant difference (p>0.05) in TOS, compared to the negative control. There was significantly lower (p˂0.05) TAS levels in the diabetic and treatment groups, compared to the negative control. OSI values were significantly lower (p˂0.05) in all groups when compared to the diabetic control. Also, OSI values were significantly higher (p˂0.05) in the treatment groups compared to the negative control. SOD was significantly lower (p<0.05) in the diabetic control compared to the negative control and treatment groups. The treatment groups showed no significant difference (p>0.05) in SOD levels, compared to the negative control.
 Conclusion: Increase in total oxidant status and oxidative stress depleted antioxidant parameters. The polyherbal capsule glucoblock was effective when used alone and produced equipotent effect to the treatment with glibenclamide. However, the combination treatment did not fare better. Antioxidant therapy should be used together with antidiabetics in the management of diabetes, and care should be taken in the use herb-drug combinations.

Lipidaemic and Hepatic Status of Type 2 Diabetic Rats Treated with the Polyherbal Capsule Glucoblock

“…This reveals administration of the orthodox drug glibenclamide, the polyherbal formulation glucoblock and their combination, had hepatoprotective effect on the liver of the diabetic rats. This may be due to the antioxidant potentials of the treatments [31], preventing oxidative damage to liver hepatocytes. From this research, the combination therapy was not as effective as the individual treatments in reducing ALP levels.…”

“…There was however, a persistent fatty change in the liver. The improved liver histology compared to the diabetic control could be due to the antioxidant potential of the drugs [31], thus providing hepatoprotective effects on the liver. This is in consonance with the work of Balamash, et al [35], in which STZ-induced diabetic rats had apoptotic hepatocytes with degenerated nuclei.…”

Effects of Metformin in Combination with a Herbal Capsule (Glucoblock) on Insulin Resistance and Oxidative Stress Index in Type 2 Diabetic Rats

“…In the same study, levels of the antioxidant enzymes SOD, GPx, and CAT were significantly increased, while MDA reduced in the kidneys of the diabetic rats treated with curcumin. In a similar study, Briggs et al [30] found that glucoblock and glibenclamide, administered individually or as a combination showed antioxidant potentials, by significantly reducing TOS, increasing SOD and improving OSI in treated diabetic rats, compared to the untreated rats.…”